Thousands fill the streets as West Bridge opens in Roseau

The new Roseau West Bridge was on Monday afternoon after a year of construction, with thousands gathering for a celebratory ceremony.

Speaking to a cheering crowd, the prime minister said that the project "has taken road construction and engineering in Dominica to the next level".

In a lavish opening, speeches by government officials were interspersed with musical numbers in a display that demonstrates Dominica is a not only committed to recovering from Tropical Storm Erica but keen to invest heavily in infrastructure for the future.

The US$6.7 million bridge, which stretches 54 metres across the Roseau River, was completed by the Barbadian construction firm NSG Management and Technical Services.

It links the River Bank with the nearby Pottersville district.

Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit – who championed the Citizenship by Investment Programme (CBI) that funded the bridge building – set a tone of pride, expressing hope that the residents of both Roseau and wider island could claim the landmark.

[caption id="attachment_937" align="alignright" width="1599"] Roosevelt Skerrit[/caption]

“My friends, on the surface of it, we are here this evening to commission a bridge. In reality, however, we are gathered to open the gateway to an emerging new Roseau,” he said.

“Awarding this contract to NSG twelve months ago was a true test of my government's leadership, as it was not easy going against the anticipated initial fall out from recruiting a firm, not known to Dominicans, but which was highly recommended by several Caribbean and hemispheric leaders as ideal for the job.”

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AT THE SCENE: Emmerson Anthony, WIC News

As twilight fell and the Roseau sky turned to a dusky purple, the bridge itself became illuminated with national colours, adding colour to the patriotism that was already palpable in the air. Among the audience, which was well represented by every generation, stood the hundreds of Dominicans whose skills were put to the test to help erect the West Bridge on time.

When acknowledging their efforts, PM Skerrit was effusive, as he described how integral the project was in breathing new life into the vital artery of the Roseau transit system and setting new benchmarks in the country’s development.

“I am sure this evening, we would all agree that the experiment worked and that Dominican contractors and small service providers got as much out of this project as could realistically have been expected. By the same token, Dominica got the ultimate prize of a modern, state of the art, aesthetically appealing and engineeringly strong gateway to its city.”

Dominicans will gaze at the new bridge as they prepare to travel across the shiny span for the first time on Tuesday morning, with the knowledge that the rest of the city is set to follow suit.

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The development project also included the dredging of the river, the building of the adjacent walls and the enhancement of the surrounding area, as well as installing decorative under-bridge lighting and energy efficient street lamps.

Earlier in the proceedings, Senator Miriam Blanchard, minister of public works and ports, emphasised the need for Dominicans to keep their eyes on the prize, as the government sought to continually develop the island.

After expressing gratitude to the 253 Dominicans employed by the project, NSG and the CBI, Blanchard said: “The CBI is now enshrined in the hearts of most Dominicans and I am sure that local writers and historians alike will ensure that the programme’s contribution to the economic and social development of this country is accurately recorded.”

[caption id="attachment_939" align="alignleft" width="300"] NSG chairman Stephen Hobson[/caption]

Stephen Hobson, chairman of NSG, thanked the people of Dominica for their patience and urged them to enjoy the bridge that his firm, with the help of hundreds of Dominicans, delivered on time and on budget.

One contractor, and manager of local construction firm Carib Form, added a philosophical note to speeches, referencing the damage caused by Tropical Storm Erika in 2015.

Taking to the stage, Elford Xavier said that “without the challenge of mother nature, we would not have known how great we are.”